Please continue to Pray for Ian and his family this week. As most of you know, the officer involved in the shooting of the Native American woodcarver was a dear friend of mine from SPU.
His sister sent me this email today (I'm going to edit out names so this can't be found on a google search):
Thanks for your prayers, Kara - they are definitely helping :). I don't have an answer to where you can get more accurate information on how Ian's inquest is going, so I'll give you the quick run-down:
The inquest is going as well as it possibly could. Ian testified Tuesday and Wednesday, and he was perfectly calm, clear, articulate, professional, and credible. More than anything, it was incredibly cathartic for him to finally have a chance to tell the public what happened from his perspective, since he hasn't been allowed to do that thus far.
The prosecuting attorney, Tim F., is the definition of the word 'a-hole'. The first question he asked Ian was how many times he practiced his testimony, which is, of course, a violation of Ian's Attorney-Client Privilidge (which is his civicl right) to answer. The judge is having none of his BS - he's had to stop the proceeding several times each day to talk to him at the bar. It seems to me Ford is very close to being held in contempt of court. Twice he has tried to introduce evidence that has not been cleared by the court. All this is just fine, really, because you can even tell the jury is sick of him, and doesn't find him respectable or credible at all.
The difference between Ford and Ian's attorney, Buck, is like night and day. He's doing an amazing job of representing Ian. Ian thinks the world of Buck, and Buck thinks the same of Ian.
There's one other attorney in the court room - Melinda Y. - who is representing neither party, but rather King County. Her job is to just get all the facts out of each witness and make sure they're clear to the jury. She's done her job also exceedingly well; the facts are bubbling up and the BS is sliding away.
Each of the points that the Times has mentioned as significant (i.e., that Ian didn't call for back-up; whether or not he stopped completely before Williams' turned around to face him; the knife being closed; etc.) have all been fairly clearly and easily refuted.
There are 26 witnesses still to testify, which means the inquest will likely go through next Tuesday. Once they're done, the jury will deliberate and each will individually answer 13 or so questions about the incident, from "Did John W. die on August 30, 2010?" to "Was Officer justified in his actions". Their answers will go to the judge, who will make a recommendation to the King County Prosecuter, Dan S. (thankfully, a Christian man), who will make the ultimate decision whether or not the County will file criminal charges against Ian.
The incident is being reviewed entirely seperately by SPD, who will make their own determination about whether or not Ian's actions were justified, and whether or not he will keep his job and/or face any penalties.
Camille and our families are doing fine. The media shit show is harder on us than it is on Ian, whom you know has never cared at all what the media says about anything.
All-in-all, we're feeling good. As much as the media has done its job disgraceful, the judicial system is doing its job perfectly.
2 months ago
10 comments:
Thanks for posting this Kara! We've been watching the news and my heart has been breaking for Ian and his family. Will be praying!
I am sorry...I know he is your friend, but what he did was wrong. The man he shot was not threatening him. The dashboard video is online and it is not edited...it shows that Ian shot a man who was half deaf and carrying a CLOSED carving knife. It was abuse of power and I am sure he is very remorseful (or at least I would hope) but the honest, right and Christ like thing would be to acknowledge that he was wrong/made a mistake and ask for forgiveness.
#1 - The dashboard video shows a man that was obviously drunk.
#2 - How does the video show the man was deaf? I didn't see him using ASL.
#3 - You watched the video right?
#4 - The audio is very clear that the officer ordered the man to drop the knife. I'm pretty sure when an officer tells you to drop a knife, you are supposed to do it.
#5 - Since you were at inquest, you obviously know that the first responding EMT testified (under oath) that there was an open knife, as well as a closed knife. But you already knew that right?
#6 - If you are going to post a comment, do the Christ-like thing and stand by your comment, meaning write your name, don't be a coward.
I expect that you will write back identifying yourself, otherwise...don't comment.
XOXO,
Dusty
pt 2
Before you pass judgement on a man who risks his safety and his health daily to deal with the creatures of this Earth that display no sign of the God we know, those that destroy lives of others without remorse. Please watch the video of the carver fighting police and screaming at them something to the affect of, "I'll kill you all", perhaps do some research as to his criminal record and his history of violence (towards others and police)... Then please lookup the "21 foot rule" as it pertains to law enforcement - which proves that an officer with his gun holstered CANNOT unholster and get off a shot if someone within 21 feet and a sharp object charges them, before being attacked. Studies also show that this rule no longer provides enough space with the holsters officers are now required to wear to prevent others from taking their guns from them. (Remember the 'scared, harmless' guy that took a Federal Way officer's gun and killed him with it a few years back? New holsters for all now.)
pt 3
Ian has had no history of shooting anyone else in heated situations, or acting irrationally, or with excessive force... The media would be all over that, if he did. Trust me, working the same downtown streets my husband works every day- he's been in those situations before.
I wasn't downtown, standing next to Ian when he fired his shots - and I suspect neither were you. To accuse him of abusing his power and condemn him, saying that he is somehow 'un-Christ like' because the truth as he sees it - doesn't fit with what you've heard on tv, suggests that perhaps you might re-examine what 'Christ-like' behavior is.
Maybe the carver wasn't charging Ian and the jury decides it was a bad shoot, it doesn't mean that this man who took an oath to protect others didn't feel threatened or that his life or the safety of others wasn't in jeopardy.
Saying he abused his power is accusing him of pre-mediatated murder. In the time that he started giving commands to drop the knife to shots fired, you suggest that he: assesed the situation, determined this man to be 'an easy kill', overrode all human decency - which his history has shown him to display, jeopardized his job and family and said "Screw it, I'm killing this guy!"? In 7 seconds?
Or, maybe he saw a man with a knife, displaying behavior his training deems irratic (stumbling, mumbling, non-coherent), refused to do what he was told by an officer of the law, that Ian actually felt threatend and responded the way he's been trained to?
My husband works for a different agency, but the area none the less. We don't personally know him, but my heart aches for him and his family.
Kara, please know that there are many people praying for your friend!
-CJ
I don't quite understand all of the attack on a dissenting opinion. While I understand the support and prayer for the shooter and his family, it baffles me that none of you have mentioned praying for the victim and the people he left behind. Yes, he had a criminal record and history of drug and alcohol abuse. He was also mentally ill and did nor receive adequate services to help support him. Does that mean it was acceptable for him to be shot dead because of perceived threat?
There were less drastic measures that the officer could have taken that did not include taking someones life.
Saying someone abused power is NOT the same as saying it was premeditated.
I am saddened by the lack of compassion for a man who did not live a life up to your standards of what is acceptable.
Maggie
(I found Karas blog when reading Christy's blog)
Maggie,
I don't how you get impression that I don't have compassion for people who aren't up to YOUR standards by asking for prayer for Ian. Quiet the leap you made there.
You don't know me. Obviously.
By your comment I can tell you aren't familiar with the case, so you are commenting in ignorance and it shows.
Oh Kara, my heart is heavy for Ian and his family (and for the family of the man who lost his life). This is such a sad situation for everyone involved. I'm sorry for all the negative comments being left here. I'm not sure why people feel the need to repeat the things that have already been mentioned so many times by the media. It is so unfortunate that the negligent and cowardly acts of so many before Ian have so negatively impacted this case. No doubt the media is spinning this in light of other police shootings. It makes the story so much more intriguing and worth paying attention when it's spun the way it's been spun. Having worked with Ian (even for just a few short months) I have no doubts that his intentions and motives were pure. My prayer is that his heart would be heard and understood by everyone involved with the case.
How did we get on the subject of the victim not being acceptable or to people's standards? This post was about praying for Ian and his family. God did not create us to be perfect, nor are we, so we make mistakes. Regardless it breaks my heart as part of a law enforcement family to hear such ignorant, cruel, compassionless, and disrespectful comments by the media and citizens. I'm not going to argue over the right/wrong of the situation or what happened. None of us will ever really know. However, did you forget what happened in Lakewood WA last year? Do you remember when 4 officers were killed having coffee? Did you hear about the officer in Rainer OR that went to a routine disturbance call and is now dead? 6 officers nationwide have been killed by gun shot THIS YEAR! 6 in three weeks. Its easy for you to pass judgment when you do not comprehend the constant danger law enforcement deals with a daily basis. Let's stop the ignorance, disrespect, and assumptions and pray .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB9-NcunsKc
Glad the inquest is going so well for Ian.
At the risk of sounding nit-picky, the sister's email identifies an attorney as a "prosecutor," and IDs him as "Tim F." Later, clearly referring to him as Tim Ford.
Mr. Ford is a private attorney, undoubtedly working on behalf of the family of the deceased.
The prosecutor on the case is Melinda Y. I worked in that office for over 11 years, and have done an inquest. The author (Ian's sister) is right in identifying that the King County Prosecutor's job in this case is simply to make sure that ALL of the facts get to the jury. Melinda is not there to advocate any position or seek any particular result.
Considering the hard work of all the prosecutors in King County, I just thought this was an important distinction to make.
Again, all my best to Ian, his family, and the family of the deceased...
Dave G.
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